Tessa James attended L’Oréal Australia’s For Women In Science Awards in Melbourne on Wednesday, marking a rare public appearance for the former Neighbours star nearly a decade after her Hodgkin’s lymphoma diagnosis. The event, held at Sophia at The Prahran Arcade, honored five trailblazing scientists from Australia and New Zealand and drew more than 150 VIP guests, including socialites Tayla Broad and Olivia Molly Rogers.
At the fashion front, James, 34, arrived in a monochromatic ensemble: a flowing polka-dot blouse paired with tailored black trousers and strappy heels. Her hair was pulled into an elegant bun, and her complexion and blue eyes drew attention from photographers as she posed with other attendees, including Ellie Baillieu, who is engaged to restaurateur Tom Sutterby.
James has kept a low profile since revealing the cancer diagnosis in 2014 while pursuing an acting opportunity in Los Angeles. Mamamia reported that she felt her life had slowed down and she wrestled with balancing a successful acting career with cancer treatment. After six months of chemotherapy, she was cancer-free in 2020 and subsequently stepped away from acting to focus on other avenues. She pivoted to interior design, following in the footsteps of her mother and sister, both interior architects. She is now the Director and Head of Communications at AKI Design, a boutique studio she runs with her family.
Her on-screen career included the role of Nicole Franklin on Home and Away from 2008 to 2011, with additional credits in Beaconsfield, Love Child and Spin Out. Off screen, James married former NRL star Nate Myles in 2011, and the couple has four children: Saynt, seven; Jaguar, four; London, three; and a one-year-old born in 2024, whom they kept private for some time.
The night underscored ongoing efforts to celebrate women in science in Australia and New Zealand, while highlighting James’s return to the public eye in a setting that honors achievement and philanthropy.